Southerland, Lawson battle heats up for District 2

Published: Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 11:55 PM.

Campaign website: floydpatrickmiller.com

Name: Steve Southerland II

Party affiliation: Republican

Current occupation: Small business owner and member of Congress

Experience: As a third generation small business owner with family roots in the region that predate statehood, I’m proud to fight for the land I love. Long before joining Congress, I took an active role in strengthening our community, including experience chairing the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, while also serving on the boards of the Covenant Hospice Foundation, the Economic Development Alliance and the Bay Defense Alliance.

Platform: Both parties share blame in giving rise to a federal government that no longer reflects its people. That’s why I haven’t hesitated to stand up to both parties to defend our North and Northwest Florida values. I’m focused on empowering families and job creators to improve conditions for economic growth, and that begins with eliminating the crushing burden of Washington regulations, spending and debt. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, but much work remains.

PANAMA CITY — From arguments over authorization of the RESTORE Act to accusations of slashing funding for Medicare and Medicaid, the race for the Florida Congressional District 2 seat has gone though a number of transformations.

At one point during the campaign, a Democratic pollster had incumbent Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, and his Democratic challenger Al Lawson running neck-and-neck, each garnering about 43 percent of the vote.

And the two men have been throwing barbs at each other since early this summer.

Lawson has charged Southerland doesn’t pay his taxes on time, while Southerland has charged Lawson will gut Medicare and Medicaid.

Earlier this month, the Southerland campaign dubbed Lawson “Absentee Al” after Lawson chose not to attend candidate forums in Marianna and Vernon, and, according to Southerland’s campaign, pulled out of a scheduled television debate in Panama City.

Lawson did join in the televised League of Women Voters forum Wednesday in Panama City, and when he showed up, Lawson threw some jabs at Southerland.

“I am the candidate in this race with the proven experience to stand up for the issues that are most important to North Florida,” said Lawson, a former state senator whose district wedged into a small part of eastern Bay County. “From protecting guaranteed benefits like Medicare and Social Security, to making college affordable, to helping small businesses create jobs to boost our economy and strengthen the middle class, I will wake up every day ready to fight for our community and our values.”

Both candidates have said they can work across party lines to get more done if elected to Congress.

A big issue for both candidates has been easing gridlock in Washington.

Lawson, who was prevented from running for re-election to the state Senate because of term limits, said that back in 2010 he supported former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist over Democrat Kendrick Meek for U.S. Senate. Lawson also touted working with former Gov. Jeb Bush.

“I have a record of working across party lines,” Lawson said.

Lawson also charged that Southerland worked in lock step with Republicans on nearly every issue. He said Southerland voted along Republican Party lines 93 percent of the time.

Southerland also touted working across party lines. In a recent radio interview with WFSU, Southerland talked about working with Democrats in Congress.

“I can tell you the most visible time I got into the speaker’s dog house was when I voted the same with Nancy Pelosi, the same with Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) when I felt like the debt ceiling deal was not proper. I voted no on the debt ceiling.”

Pelosi is the minority leader of the House of Representatives. The debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money the U.S. can borrow; a partisan fight over raising the debt ceiling resulted in the impending sequestration, sometimes referred to as the fiscal cliff.

Southerland has consistently said he would stand up for his contingency and he would not “go along to get along.”

During the WFSU radio interview, Southerland noted his working relationship with Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.

“I crossed the (Republican) line when we got into the Libya situation,” Southerland said. “Dennis was right when he said the president violated the 1973 War Powers Act.”

Southerland has touted his roots in the community. He said he stands up for business and has vowed to help increase jobs.

“I think that the voters of the 2nd District of Florida are very savvy and they know us,” Southerland said. “Our family has been in this district for 200 years.”

The 2nd District was redrawn after the 2010 Census and now stretches from Bay County on the west to Taylor County on the east. The district, which tends to be more conservative than other parts of the state despite having more registered Democrats than Republicans, has seen heavy campaign spending for the second election in a row; Southerland defeated Democratic Congressman Allen Boyd in 2010 to take the seat in a heavily fought, expensive contest. Southerland has raised and spent more than three times what Lawson has this time around, drawing in more than $1.6 million in contributions in the 2011-12 campaign cycle through Oct. 17, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks campaign spending.

Contributions to the two candidates, along with money from political action committees, have financed endless rounds of TV advertising in the district, many of them on the negative side.

Even the League of Women Voters forum grew nasty, as Lawson challenged Southerland’s assertion he authored the RESTORE ACT, which designates how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill fines will be spent. Southerland’s named appeared on the House version of the act as a co-sponsor.

And there is a third-party candidate in this race.

Floyd Patrick Miller, who was wedged in between Lawson and Southerland in a recent forum, is a write-in candidate.

“I am here with the ‘New Deal of the 21st Century’ to bring new development of minerals, oil, natural gas and infrastructure to the United States that will bring jobs all across this great country,” Miller writes on his website.

Miller doesn’t give any specifics as how he plans to implement his plan.

Platform: As hardworking families continue to struggle in this economy, Congress is gridlocked, and Congressman Steve Southerland is part of the problem. I am not alone in expressing frustration with Congress. Washington is paralyzed by partisanship, and nothing is getting done. It’s not a problem with Democrats, and it’s not a problem with Republicans. It’s a problem with Congress. During my time in the Florida Legislature, I had a record of getting things done.

Why do you deserve to be elected? I’ve worked with my own party when it was right for my district, and I’ve worked across party lines when it was right for my district. My philosophy has always been that I’m here to represent the people, not to engage in partisan politics. This is a viewpoint too often absent from the halls of Congress. When elected to the Congress, the people of North Florida will finally have a congressman who will put their interests first.

Campaign website: www.lawson4congress.com

Name: Floyd Patrick Miller

Party affiliation: Write-in

Current occupation: Hospitality industry

Experience: Held Florida real estate sales associate license since 1994. I have been a working manager for most of the past 20 years, bringing a unique view of needs of the working class and the needs and costs of employers. I am a property owner and have the same concerns as millions of middle-class homeowners trying to make mortgage payments, homeowners insurance, property taxes and monthly upkeep of a home.

Platform: I am a working man for the working class. Education is the most important investment our country can make. I am for fully funding education. I will fight for Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ needs. I will fight for women’s rights from equal pay to freedom to determine their own health needs. I am for raising the minimum wage to a living wage set by inflation; it would be $15.50 an hour.

Why do you deserve to be elected/re-elected? I will work to bring confidence back to our government by keeping big money in check by working for We The People. Will work to end the war on drugs and tax it. Will work for better pay for our teachers, military, police, all civil employees. Will fight to keep the oil, natural gas and minerals on federal land and in federal water for We The People to pay off debt of the nation and fund future needs.

Campaign website: floydpatrickmiller.com

Name: Steve Southerland II

Party affiliation: Republican

Current occupation: Small business owner and member of Congress

Experience: As a third generation small business owner with family roots in the region that predate statehood, I’m proud to fight for the land I love. Long before joining Congress, I took an active role in strengthening our community, including experience chairing the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, while also serving on the boards of the Covenant Hospice Foundation, the Economic Development Alliance and the Bay Defense Alliance.

Platform: Both parties share blame in giving rise to a federal government that no longer reflects its people. That’s why I haven’t hesitated to stand up to both parties to defend our North and Northwest Florida values. I’m focused on empowering families and job creators to improve conditions for economic growth, and that begins with eliminating the crushing burden of Washington regulations, spending and debt. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, but much work remains.

Why do you deserve to be re-elected? I’ve kept my word to my constituents. I said I’d fight to save Medicare, and I voted to restore $716 billion in Medicare funding cut by ObamaCare. I said I’d reduce spending, and I voted to cut our House office budgets by 11-percent while implementing historic levels in federal spending cuts. I said I’d rebuild the connection between the people and their representative, and I’ve hosted 44 free town hall discussions in two years.

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